Chester Nimitz signed Japan’s surrender instrument for the United States after MacArthur.
Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz signed at approximately 9:12 a.m. on September 2, 1945. Douglas MacArthur had already signed as Supreme Commander for the Allied powers, so Nimitz signed specifically as the United States representative. His position reflected his leadership of the U.S. Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean Areas during the war.
Nimitz was followed by General Hsu Yung-chang for China, then representatives of the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, Australia, Canada, France, the Netherlands, and New Zealand. This order placed the United States first among the individual Allied powers after MacArthur’s overarching signature.
Nimitz used two pens during the ceremony. One later went to the Nanjing Museum and another to the United States Naval Academy Museum. These details are separate from the more famous pens used by MacArthur, whose signing was witnessed by representatives connected with the surrender of the Philippines and Singapore.